Central Coast consumers give their advice on how to cope with inflation costs

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - With the new and rising costs for goods and services many residents on the Central Coasts are learning to deal with the financial impacts.

"Every day everyone's  gettin' pinched and it doesn't look like it's getting better," said Jim O'Mahoney while shopping on the Santa Barbara Mesa.

Whatever you were spending for essentials a year ago, if you're living on a budget you know you are paying much more now.   In some cases five to 20 percent increases have been reported during the on going inflation spike.

"I know what I want to get (at the store.)  I would spend 60-70 bucks to get what I need and now it is like a $120-bucks," said worker Frank Padilla on his lunch break.

It's changed the way some people are shopping.

Debbie Phillip said, "I kind of shop around, I use more coupons than I used to. So, it'll get better though."

Despite all the negative information about inflation coming out right now there are many people who have either worked it out with their budgets or are optimistic about the future.

Phillip is one of them. "I think it is just a cycle. I think the world is going to get better, I think once we get back to normal  hopefully sooner than later," she said.

In the meantime,  you can see the indicators at every turn and including when you filling up your tank even though those costs have slowly started to come down in the last three weeks, it has drained monthly funds for those on a lean budget.

Padilla said, sometimes you don't even make it through the whole week.  Sometimes you have to fill up a couple of days before the week is over."

Those who have been around for awhile, with some financial holdings are not  felling the sting as much but they are aware of the changing challenges .

O'Mahoney said, "it's real tough. Thank God I rat holed  a bunch of dough in my lifetime. I'm able to cope with it"

He had one observation beyond direct financial impacts. It was in crowd sizes. "The Funk Zone like this weekend, it was real mild and that's a destination," said O'Mahoney.